


Benevolent Tyrant

by afrakaday



Category: Battlestar Galactica, Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-07-02
Packaged: 2017-12-16 20:45:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrakaday/pseuds/afrakaday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura has preparations to oversee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Benevolent Tyrant

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lls_mutant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lls_mutant/gifts).



The atmosphere of Colonia was slightly green, as if to complement the lush vegetation that covered the surface of the planet, interrupted only by ribbonlike rivers feeding into freshwater seas. The sky was at its most majestic at sunrise, all swirling dark blue-greens gradually lightening, reminding her of their time in space and transition back to land.

Laura liked to sit out on the balcony with Bill and watch the small city beneath them come to life in the early morning hours, as the staff brought them coffee ( _real_ coffee, she could still hardly believe, even after all this time) and the nascent newspaper, which had just graduated from a tabloid to a true sectioned bifold.

But this morning, Laura had preparations to oversee. First step was getting her husband to send his long-unused dress grays down to the launderer in the basement of the Presidential manse. She bent down to wake him up with a kiss. “Time to get up, Admiral.”

Bill yawned and smacked his lips sleepily. “Hmm? I’m up, I’m up.”

“It’s Election Day, do you have any idea how packed my schedule is today?” She ran her hand along his chest, her thumb trailing along the scar that reminded them both of a trying time and a now-distant threat. She looked over at the balcony window longingly. “They’re going to start showing up soon.”

The settlers had seized upon Election Day as an annual holiday celebrating Laura’s first election, under the logic that every day on Colonia was Colonial Day and thus they needed a new civic holiday. While not everyone had been pleased at Baltar’s defeat and the subsequent passing over of “New Caprica,” any disappointment was allayed a month later, when the Fleet stumbled upon this far preferable planet. It wasn’t Earth, but neither was Laura a dying leader anymore. Recon showed the planet well-suited for settlement, and the entire Fleet--including Bill--made the move to the surface within six months of its discovery.

After six years of uncontested elections and unparalleled prosperity, the people had not only built her this impressive residence, but had elaborated on her title--and Bill’s, too. She gave him a hand to help pull him out of bed, and he shrugged on his robe before they walked over to the balcony window together, his arm over her shoulders.

“They’re earlier every year,” he commented. There were already two dozen supporters or so camped out on the square directly below, the most fervent among them holding up a large hand-painted banner that Laura recognized from celebrations past.

_”WE ♥ OUR PRESIDENT-FOR-LIFE AND HER COLONIAL CONSORT!”_

“You ever think about how they would feel if they knew that I actually lost that first election?” She let her head come to rest upon his shoulder as they looked out at the assembling crowd.

“No. I think they’d be grateful, though.”

“I never meant to start a monarchy.”

“Autocracy. They haven’t crowned you yet.”

Laura laughed; a little rueful, but lacking regrets. “Maybe next year.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to lls_mutant for the prompt that spun this one up!


End file.
